As April rolls into May, hopefully bringing some better weather, news has arrived at Corpulent Towers of a new beer festival in Llantwit Major. The Old Swan Inn, part of Knife & Fork Food Ltd (think Woods Brasserie and The New Conway) is having its first Beer Festival on the weekend of the 27th to 29th of April.

What's more anybody who travels to the event by public transport, and how else would you sensibly go to a beer festival I ask myself, will get a free pint!

As well as beer and cider, there'll be live music all weekend and they even have a large marquee so that rain doesn't stop play. If you're a beer connoisseur or just like a tipple and a tune then get yourself along to what promises to be a great weekend.

Trains run every hour from Cardiff & Bridgend, there are a number of bus routes serving Llantwit Major so check with your local operator for details.

Further details in the following press release:-

The Old Swan Inn to offer travelling ale lovers a pint for a pass

The Old Swan Inn will be kicking off the beer festival season with a weekend from Friday 27th April-Sunday 29th April by offering any patron who has travelled to the event by public transport the chance to exchange their used pass for a pint.

The pub, which dates back to the 12th century, is issuing an open invite to ale lovers across South Wales to come and sample the 25 different types of beer and cider on offer, including the famously strong Firebox beer, back again this year by demand. There will also be beer from breweries like RCH, Wye Valley, Wickwar, VOG, Breconshire and Otley.

Anyone who chooses to travel to Llantwit Major by train or bus will be able to exchange their ticket for a free pint at any point over the weekend. The pub is just a short walk from the station, which is well-served by trains every hour from Cardiff.

The Welsh beer and cider line-up will be complemented by bands from the local area, who will be playing live music throughout the weekend. While the event lends itself to the outdoors in the large beer-garden, rain will not stop play, with a specially erected marquee lined up to accommodate the festival goers.

This is the first of a programme of festivals the pub, which is part of the Knife & Fork Food Group, will be laying on over the course of the summer with plans for similar events to coincide with the Queen’s jubilee and the National Eisteddfod.

Landlord Sean Murphy said of the event: “Beer festivals really do indicate the start of summer and we are looking forward to welcoming both our regular patrons and some new faces. The public transport to Llantwit serves us very well and we hope our offer to buy any travellers a drink will encourage people to go a little bit farther afield that weekend.

“We are confident that our line up of the great and the good of beers and ciders is the best we’ve seen yet, and we are looking forward to getting feedback on the ones we have chosen. It will be a fantastic weekend, whether you are a beer drinker or not, and there is plenty of entertainment on offer.”